18.03.2010.

Ceremonial Assembly on the occasion of the Military Academy Day at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre

The Ceremonial Assembly at the Great Scene of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre has been arranged tonight to celebrate a significant anniversary – 160 years of the Military Academy. This very important event for the Ministry of Defence and the educational system of Serbia was attended by the Serbian President Boris Tadic, the Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and the ministers in the Government, the Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Miloje Miletic, the Serbian Patriarch Irinej, the representatives of military and diplomatic corps in Belgrade, and celebrities from the public, economic and cultural life of our country.

-When a state institution in Serbia celebrates 160 years of its existence, it is a noteworthy anniversary. And when we know that this is an educational institution educating heroes many of whom gave their lives for their country and people, then it is a jubilee which is worthy of deep respect – Minister Šutanovac said welcoming the guests and he thanked to all who have gathered together tonight at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre to mark the feast of both the Ministry of Defence and the educational system of Serbia.

- Minister Šutanovac pointed out that today, after 160 years of the existence of the Military Academy it is equally hard to imagine the history of the Balkans without the Serbian Army and likewise the Serbian Armed Forces without the Military Academy.

- Being aware of the role of the Serbian Armed Forces in the society, we are continuing with the reform with the aim to build a modern army, highly respecting the tradition, the one that will be a part of modern society while promoting the brightest military tradition of the then Army which used to engage, with great courage, as a rule, a much more superior enemy, to protect its country and its people – the Defence Minister emphasized, adding that one of the most important segments of that reform is the military education reform the system by which our army is known throughout the world.

-Šutanovac stated that modern challenges, risks and threats require military personnel qualified enough to find the way to adequately respond to jeopardising the overall security in any place and any time.

- Following this principle, our goal is to profile a modern, efficient and functional educational system, which will fully respond to the needs of the Army of the 21st century. I wish to emphasize that analyzing these needs we have formed also the Faculty of Medicine at the Military Medical Academy, which has already been attended in the first year of studies by cadets from foreign armies. Within the reform, we have created the conditions for the start of a new form of advanced training in the form of integrated studies of security and defence – the Minister underlined.

- The fact that we are on the right track, the Defence Minister said, is best reflected in the interest shown by the young people in enrolling on the Military Academy. In the past year, more than 1,000 candidates applied to the competition for entering the Military Academy, which makes more than four candidates for one vacancy.

-Serbia wishes and is capable of being a leader in the region. There is a way ahead of us to reach that goal, but I also wish to emphasize with pride that the military education system has already been a leader in the region and a very important player in our foreign policy. In the past few years, in our Military Academy, in accordance with the best traditions, cadets and officers from foreign armies have also been educated. Currently we educate cadets and officers from Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Russian Federation, Algeria, Turkey, and if we add those who have already passed the schooling in the years behind us and these were from China, America, France, Iraq, as well as those that we are expecting, it is not difficult to conclude that the Military Academy have been really recognized as a distinguished quality military education institution in the country and abroad - Šutanovac said.

- The Defence Minister announced also the establishment of the University of Defence this year. According to him it will combine the educational and the research work in a unique process of higher education, and military and scientific institutions will be integrated in the system of scientific and research activities of the society.

- Parallel to the reform of military education, we have established the legal foundations, as well as new, more efficient organization of the entire Ministry of Defence. We have improved the international military cooperation and intensified the process of professionalization of the Armed Forces, which is a key task of the reform. During the past year we had, in addition to the increased interest in the enrolment in Military High School and Military Academy, we also recorded a great interest in joining the professional component of the Serbian Armed Forces, which is an indicator that we will successfully perform this task as well – said Dragan Šutanovac .

- As the Minister of Defence pointed out, after many years, the Serbian Armed Forces became again a state institution that enjoys the greatest trust of its people.

- We wish it to be so this year as well, which makes a new task. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the current, but also the former members of the Military Academy the anniversary and wish them success in their future work, and to the cadets, both the present and the future ones, I wish them to acquire knowledge in peace and use it only at the ranges – the Minister of Defence Dragan Šutanovac concluded.

-The special drama programme “Honour is our asset”, directed by Alexander Mandi?, where the text of the speech of General Mikhail Raši? of the year 1914, was written by the Academician Dobrica ?osi?, was intended for the Military Academy to present its long, rich and glorious history.

- For this occasion, Brigadier General Mladen Vuruna, Assistant Professor, Chief of the Military Academy, made an interesting review of the history of military education – 160 years of the Military Academy means more than 70,000 students enrolled. The very first class had 23 young men enrolled. Today we have around 1,300 students, cadets, cadets and officers being educated. 160 years of the Military Academy means also several thousand professors, among whom there were academicians, ministers, scientists, artists and famous generals. In the Artillery school there were 10 professors who began their work. Today there are around 200 teachers and associates teaching at the Military Academy.

- 160 years of the Military Academy – the general said – mean hundreds of subjects and exams, but also a quarter century of practical training in field conditions. In the Artillery school, besides Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, History and Geography, also Stylistics, Hypology, Anthropology, Religion and Music were studied.

-In the Military Academy today, besides many subjects, foreign languages, international humanitarian law, information technology, peacekeeping operations and defence policy are also being studied.

-160 years of the Military Academy are represented also by its former students and cadets, some of them were Prime Ministers, Ministers of the Army, building construction and foreign affairs, state advisers, MPs, military leaders, presidents of the Serbian Academy of Sciences, artists, national heroes, the holders of the highest-rank orders of merits, national team athletes and owners of medals ... - General Vuruna said, adding that 160 years of the Military Academy mean also the time of suffering and rise, separation and merger, war and peace, creation and change, the past and the future. However, and above all, 160 years of the Military Academy is the time for success.

- Our eminent actors of older and younger generations: Miša Janketic, Lazar Ristovski, Branislav Le?i?, Goran Sultanovi?, Dragan Bjelogrli?, Milorad Mandi?, Gordan Ki?i?, Marko Janketic, Katarina Markovic, with the help of male and female cadets and the Military Academy Choir and Orchestra of the Ministry of Defence “Stanislav Bini?ki” and Guard Orchestra – performed an hour-long program consisted of interesting sequences from the life of the Military Academy. It covered the history, important professors, and Serbian military leaders at the time when they were cadets, and some contemporary events have also been recorded.

- On the occasion of this jubilee, Minister Šutanovac handed also awards for distinguished deeds to prominent members of our society who have completed the Military Academy: Mirko Demi?, the writer, the Andri? Award winner, who graduated in 1987; posthumously to Major Goran Ljuboja, the pilot who was killed saving human lives on the beach in Ulcinj, after he had completed the Military Academy in 1993 and Academician of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts, Vlado Strugar who completed his education in 1957.